In particle accelerators, nuclear power plants, chemical plants and the like, it is sometimes necessary to introduce a material into a hazardous or controlled environment remotely to insure the protection of personnel from the hazardous environment. A controlled environment could include sealed areas that are under vacuum or pressure or which contain hazardous materials such as chemicals or radioactive substances.
At the Jefferson National Lab, for example, in the electron beam line, the electron beam is typically maintained in a high vacuum and at ultra-low temperature to maintain a superconducting operation. The high vacuum in the beam line is typically maintained at below 1×10−9 Torr. Some portions of the beam line are cooled with liquefied helium that has been chilled to 456 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, nearly Absolute Zero, to keep the acceleration cavities cold.
In order to carry out electron-proton scattering experiments, materials are often inserted directly into the path of the relativistic particles in the electron beam. As a result of the radiation exposure, inserting the target material is a dangerous task that requires much care on the part of technicians and exposes them to great risk.
Therefore, what is needed is a device and method that can be operated remotely to seal a critical isolated system that is under vacuum or pressure. The vacuum or pressure sealing device should be capable of being operated remotely in order to maintain the isolation of the system and protect personnel from exposure to hazardous materials such as chemicals, cryogenics, and radioactivity.